Carolina House aide charged with abuse

Frank Morris

Thursday

Jan 13, 2011 at 7:21 PM

HILTON HEAD ISLAND - A caretaker at assisted living facility Carolina House was arrested Thursday morning on multiple counts of elder abuse.

Sonia King, 41, of Estill, was charged with three counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult "in connection with an ongoing investigation into reported patient mistreatment at Carolina House, 35 Beach City Road," said Sgt. Robin McIntosh of the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.

The investigation began Dec. 31 when Rhoneda Maury, Carolina House executive director, reported another aide told her King was seen physically and verbally assaulting a 93-year-old female resident that day.

Maury put King on suspension and called the Sheriff's Office.

Investigation identified two more victims, 70- and 79-year-old women, allegedly physically and verbally assaulted by King during her rounds that morning.

"The reporting employee was also able to capture audio accounts of the incidents using a recording device she had been carrying with her. Based on the visible physical injuries observed on the victims, witness statements and audio evidence, warrants were sought and obtained for King. Each of the three victims was medically evaluated, with none found to have suffered any life-threatening injuries due to the assaults," McIntosh said.

After two weeks of investigation, King turned herself in for arrest at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Sheriff's Office substation on Hilton Head. She was jailed in Beaufort and remained held Wednesday night.

Investigators are following up on the possibility of additional unidentified victims or suspects. The Sheriff's Office asks anyone with information to call either Investigator Cpl. L. Novak at 255-3414 or the Beaufort County Dispatch Center at 524-2777.

The Sheriff's Office also notified the Governor's Office of Ombudsman, which is responsible for making further notifications to appropriate state agencies as a mandated reporter.

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